As an ex-AOL'er (sales rep who left in the past couple months) - your comments are dead nuts on. The management (Armstrong, Levick, Clift, etc) are incompetent and not the right people to be running the ship.

I can honestly say - the grass is ABSOLUTELY greener on the other side. I am calling on the same clients I had previously, and taking AOL's revenue away hand-over-fist. My clients trust ME - I have built relationships with them, and they are following ME ... not necessarily AOL. Hearing them tell me things about AOL that they were afraid to tell me previously - most of it (if not all) is EMBARASSING. Looking back - I now ask myself ...

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

There was ZERO incentive to stay at AOL. Why would I want to stay with a sinking ship? Why would I want to stay with a company that is dropping revenue and smart employees like flies? Why would I want to stay with a company that does not have a leadership that can be trusted or effective. Why would I want to stay with a company that does not value their employees - or give me a reason to WANT to walk into work each day.

Lastly, why did I want to stay with a company that I did not believe in what they wanted me to sell? My reputation with my "trusted" clients was on the line. That in itself was enough of a reason to leave. So I did.